Digital Commons Network^™

Virus Silicification Under Simulated Hot Spring Conditions, James R. Laidler, Kenneth M. Stedman

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Silicification of organisms in silica-depositing environments can impact both their ecology and their presence in the fossil record. Although microbes have been silicified under laboratory and environmental conditions, viruses have not. Bacteriophage T4 was successfully silicified under laboratory conditions that closely simulated those found in silica-depositing hot springs. Virus morphology was maintained, and a clear elemental signature of phosphorus was detected by energy-dispersive X-ray spectrophotometry (EDS).

Great Basin Center For Geothermal Energy, Wendy Calvin

Nevada Renewable Energy Consortium Meeting

The second annual Nevada Renewable Energy Consortium meeting took place at UNLV on August 20. The meeting focused on the current three NVREC program areas: Solar, Biomass and Geothermal. Presentations were made by participating entities and a poster session followed.

Autonomous Fmcw Radar Survey Of Antarctic Shear Zone, Gary Koh, James H. Lever, Steven A. Arcone, Hans-Peter Marshall, Laura E. Ray

CGISS Publications and Presentations

Radar survey of the Antarctic shear zone was conducted using an ultra-wideband (2-10 GHz) frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar. The radar was mounted on a sled and pulled by a robot that was specifically designed to operate in a harsh polar environment. Our FMCW radar had good penetration through Antarctic snow and we observed snow stratigraphy to a depth of 20 m. The radar images also revealed multiple crevasses in the shear zone. Our results demonstrate that autonomous survey using high frequency radar is feasible and safe approach for detecting hidden crevasses.

2d Ground-Penetrating Radar Avo Response To A 3d Dielectric Permittivity Anomaly, John H. Bradford

CGISS Publications and Presentations

To evaluate the amplitude vs offset response of GPR to small distributions of hydrocarbon contamination, I acquired multi-offset 450 MHz GPR data in TE and TM modes over a buried rectangular tank filled with gasoline saturated sand. All dimensions of the tank were less than one wavelength at the characteristic antenna frequency. The permittivity ratio at the moist sand/gasoline sand boundary, estimated by fitting the Fresnel equations to the observed amplitudes and by Brewster's Angle analysis, differed from that obtained through migration velocity analysis by no more than 12%. 2D FDTD modeling reproduced amplitude characteristics for 3 o f 4 …

Insights Into Particle Formation And Remineralization Using The Short-Lived Radionuclide, Thorium-234, Kanchan Maiti, Claudia R. Benitez-Nelson, Ken O. Buesseler

Faculty Publications

[1] Simple mass balance models are applied to a high resolution 234Th profile from the northwest Pacific to examine the magnitude, rate, and depth distribution of particle remineralization processes below the euphotic zone (Ez). Here, excess 234Th (234Th > 238U) below the Ez is attributed to fragmentation processes that result in the conversion of sinking to non‐sinking particles. By considering particulate organic carbon (POC) to 234Th ratios on particles, we show that POC flux attenuation is larger than for 234Th, which we attribute to bacterial and zooplankton consumption of sinking POC. Three case studies are used to demonstrate how different combinations …

The Analysis Of Palaeobotanical Remains From Native American Sites In The Tennessee Region Of The Upper Cumberland Plateau., Chase W. Beck

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sediment samples were collected from 3 rock shelter sites and one natural pond on the Upper Cumberland Plateau. Samples were processed to quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate pollen and charcoal abundance as well as other palaeobotanicals. The analysis was to determine when prehistoric Native Americans began controlled burns to enhance resources acquisition. Samples were also analyzed for the presence of pollen to determine vegetation changes that may accompany the use of controlled burns and to determine the onset of horticulture. The Upper Cumberland Plateau is often considered a marginal area used only seasonally by Native Americans; however, management practices may have …

Hydrogeomorphic Segments And Hydraulic Microhabitats Of The Niobrara River, Nebraska, With Special Emphasis On The Niobrara National Scenic River, Jason S. Alexander, Ronald B. Zelt, Nathaniel J. Schaepe

United States Geological Survey: Water Reports and Publications

The Niobrara River is an ecologically and economically important resource in Nebraska. The Nebraska Department of Natural Resources’ recent designation of the hydraulically connected surface- and groundwater resources of the Niobrara River Basin as “fully appropriated” has emphasized the importance of understanding linkages between the physical and ecological dynamics of the Niobrara River so it can be sustainably managed. In cooperation with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, the United States Geological Survey USGS) investigated the hydrogeomorphic and hydraulic attributes of the Niobrara River in northern Nebraska. This report presents the results of an analysis of hydrogeomorphic segments and hydraulic …

In Memoriam

Studia UBB Geologia

No abstract provided.

New Observations On Permocalculus Gosaviensis Schlagintweit, 1991 (Calcareous Alga) From The Upper Cretaceous Of The Northern Calcareous Alps (Gosau Group, Austria), Felix Schlagintweit

Studia UBB Geologia

New thin-sections from the Upper Cretaceous Gosau Group of Brandenberg, Tyrol, Austria, yielded well-preserved specimens of the calcareous alga Permocalculus gosaviensis Schlagintweit. Microfacies are foraminiferal-algal wackestones; stratigraphy is Upper Turonian (?Lower Coniacian). It is shown that the original description was based on oblique sections leading to the incorrect assumption of a piriform segment morphology. Instead, P. gosaviensis is a representative of Permocalculus of the group with constrictions/swellings along the segments (waxing-and-waning type). Permocalculus nikolapantici Radoičić from the Upper Turonian of Serbia is considered a junior synonym of Permocalculus gosaviensis Schlagintweit.

Polito- A New Open-Source, Platform Independent Software For Generating High-Quality Lithostratigraphic Columns, Ciprian C. Stremtan, Alexandru Tudor

Studia UBB Geologia

POLITO is a free, open-source, and platform-independent software which can automatically generate lithostratigraphic columns from field data. Its simple and easy to use interface allows users to manipulate large datasets and create high-quality graphical outputs, either in editable vector or raster format, or as PDF files. POLITO uses USGS standard lithology patterns and can be downloaded from its Sourceforge project page (http://sourceforge.net/projects/polito/).

Past Surface Conditions And Speleogenesis As Inferred From Cave Sediments In The Great Cave Of Șălitrari Mountain (Sw Romania), Cristina M. Pușcaș, Ciprian C. Stremtan, Ferenc Kristály

Studia UBB Geologia

Abstract In one of the passages in the Great Cave of Șălitrari Mountain the floor is completely covered by an alluvial deposit at least 6 m in thickness, ranging from boulders, and cobbles, to sand and clay, topped by a layer of dry bat guano. Sediment and mineral samples collected from six profiles underwent broad analyses to determine their petrological and mineralogical makeup, grain-size distribution, and paleoclimatic significance. The complicated facies alternation suggests frequent changes in the former stream’s hydrological parameters, with frequent flooding, leading to the hypothesis that the climate was somewhat wetter than today. Both the mineralogical composition …

Mineralogy Of Speleothems From Four Caves In The Purcăreţ - Boiu Mare Plateau And The Baia Mare Depression (Nw Romania), Tudor Tamas, Razvan Ungureanu

Studia UBB Geologia

The Purcăreţ - Boiu Mare Plateau and the southern edge of the Baia Mare Depression, in Sălaj and Maramureş Counties, NW Romania, host over 200 caves located in limestones ranging in age from Upper Eocene to Badenian. The carbonate rocks are interposed with non-karst rocks consisting of shales, sandstones and marls. Four caves hosted by limestones of different lithologies have been investigated for secondary minerals in the composition of their speleothems. Calcite, gypsum, goethite, jarosite, brushite, hydroxylapatite and taranakite were found in the composition of crusts, crystals, aggregates and earthy masses. The mineral association was characterized by means of X-ray …

New Data On Facies Development And Micropaleontology Of The Eastern Margin Of The Getic Carbonate Platform (South Carpathians, Romania): Case Study Of Mateiaş Limestone, Ioan I. Bucur, Daniela Beles, Emanoil Sasaran, Constantin Balica

Studia UBB Geologia

Mateiaş Limestone represents a lithostratigraphic unit included in the Braşov Series, which is a component of the eastern end of the Getic Nappes’ cover (the Getic carbonate platform). The study of the Mateiaş Limestone in Hulei-Mateiaş-Măgura area has evidenced three main facies, and five microfacies types. The Kimmeridgian (possibly also Early Tithonian) age of the Mateiaş Limestone has been assigned based on a microfossil association identified in thin sections. The regional framework, as well as their sedimentological and micropaleontological features point to the deposition of these limestones on shelf margin and slope environments; the succession in the studied area corresponds …

Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous Foraminifera From Štramberk-Type Limestones, Polish Outer Carpathians, Daria Ivanova, Boguslaw Kolodziej

Studia UBB Geologia

Foraminifera studies were carried out on the Štramberk-type limestones which occur as pebbles to small boulders (exotics) within the uppermost Jurassic–Palaeogene flysch deposits of the Polish Outer Carpathians. The studies were focused on foraminifera from (1) reef and peri-reef facies, and (2) lagoonal algal-foraminiferal facies. The paper deals with 34 species (including 8 in open nomenclature) representing 30 genera, 22 families, 14 superfamilies, 11 suborders, and 7 orders. A more precise age determination has been obtained for 30 exotics, representing a Tithonian (mostly) to Valanginian age. Foraminiferal assemblages from at least two exotics suggest a Valanginian age as indicated by …

Chronostratigraphy And Paleontology Of The Mid-Cretaceous Wayan Formation Of Eastern Idaho, With A Description Of The First Oryctodromeus Specimens From Idaho, Laurel J. Krumenacker

Theses and Dissertations

The mid-Cretaceous Wayan Formation of Idaho consists of floodplain-deposited siltstones and mudstones, with subordinate fluvial sandstones and conglomerates. Deposition occurred in a tectonic foredeep at the toe of the Sevier thrust complex. Measurement of two incomplete and one complete section indicates a thickness of roughly 1,344 meters in the study area. No laterally extensive marker beds are present but the lower Wayan contains distinct chert pebble conglomerates, and the middle Wayan may contain a higher relative abundance of fluvial sandstone. Known fossil localities are limited to the lower and middle portions of the formation. The Wayan Formation, as currently defined, …

Chemical Weathering Of Serpentinite Rocks And Implications For Atmospheric Co2 Carbonation, Valerie Tu, Julie Baumeister, Elisabeth Hausrath

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

No abstract provided.

High Pressure Structural Studies On Eus Nano Particles Up To 52 Gpa, Kristie Canaday, Ravhi S. Kumar

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

Crystal size reduction in bulk materials changes the structural and magnetic properties considerably [1]. More importantly the transition pressure is strongly influenced by temperature, pressure, and the crystallite size effect. Rare earth europium chalcogenides crystallize in the NaCl (rock salt) type structure. The interest in Eu nanomaterials is motivated by the possibility of their use in magnetic devices [2,3]. Recent studies suggest that europium chalcogenide nanocrystals exhibit significant changes in their structural and magnetic properties, compared to bulk chalcogenides, when the nanocrystal diameter decreases. The crystal structure and phase transition behavior of EuS nanoparticles have been investigated and compared as …

Determination Of Olivine Orientation Dependence Through Raman Spectroscopy, Alexandra J. Leandre, Joseph Lussier, Brittany Morgan, Michael Rodriguez

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

Raman spectra were taken of olivine for analysis of vibrational energy intensity ratios. This allowed for determination of its crystal orientation. Garnet inclusions in peridotite were mapped and Raman spectra were taken for these as well. The inclusions could not identified, and data from the Raman spectra proved inconclusive due to difficulty in removing background signal.

Geochemistry Of Pyrite And Whole Rock Samples From The Getchell Carlin–Type Gold Deposit, Humboldt County, Nevada, Tim A. Howell, Jean S. Cline

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

Carlin-type gold deposits were not recognized as a new major type of gold deposit until the 1960’s. The Getchell deposit, which is now known to be a Carlin-type gold deposit, was discovered in 1934 (Joralemon, 1951). This deposit is located in north central Nevada (Fig. 1). Much is known about the physical characteristics of Carlin-type gold deposits (Cline et al., 2005). An unusual characteristic of these deposits is that free gold is generally not present. Instead, gold occurs as sub-micrometer particles in the mineral pyrite or marcasite. The marcasite and pyrite that are gold bearing commonly occur as rims on …

Biogeochemical Investigation Of Soda Lake, Kathryn Bywaters, Shaneen Braswell, David Crowther, Bernadette Leonis, Jeremy Memmott, Farrah Moazeni, Christian H. Fritsen

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

Big Soda Lake, Nevada, is a terminal, volcanic crater lake whose water level is maintained exclusively by groundwater. The crater is composed of volcanic, basaltic sand and the lake is ~60 m deep (Rush, 1972). The lake is meromictic with a distinct chemocline (Kimmel et al. 1978). The chemocline currently rests at ~40 m and is reflected in both specific conductivity and salinity measurements. Below the chemocline a redox gradient develops with highly reducing conditions. The pH is consistent throughout the depth of the lake at ~9.5, proving that it is alkaline in nature. It is further stratified by both …

Secondary Enrichment Of Copper At The Madison Gold Skarn Deposit, Silver Star District, Montana, Christopher H. Gammons, Jill Sotendahl, Dan Everett

Geological Engineering

Secondary Enrichment of Copper at the Madison Gold Skarn Deposit, Silver Star District, Montana. This paper focuses on the chemical reactions responsible for secondary enrichment of copper...we argue that most of the secondary Cu enrichment occurred during a late hydrothermal event that replaced the high temperature skarn mineral assemblage with hematitic jasperoid. Evidence favoring this "hypogene" Cu enrichment hypothesis is presented.

Cockatoo Sands Soil Survey : Assessment Of The Potential Irrigation Areas, Kununurra Area, East Kimberley, Henry Smolinski, Kus Kuswardiyanto, Justin Laycock

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

Petrology And Geochemistry Of The Pompton Pink Granite, New Jersey Highlands, Ian Phillip Johnson

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The Pompton Pink Granite is a small (~1 km²), post-orogenic granitoid body located in the New Jersey Highlands. It is a mildly peraluminous (ASI or aluminum saturation index, A/CNK = molar Al₂O₃ / (CaO + Na₂O + K₂O) > 1.0) pluton composed of microcline, microperthite, quartz, oligoclase, epidote, biotite, and magnetite and is classified as a granite based on its mineral and geochemical composition using standard IUGS classification schemes. The Pompton Pink Granite shows similar major-element geochemistry to other A-type granitoids found in the New Jersey Highlands, but its trace­ element geochemistry distinguishes it from these other …

Thermal History Of The Ecstall Pluton From 40Ar/39Ar Geochronology And Thermal Modeling, Sarah J. Brownlee, Paul R. Renne

Environmental Science and Geology Faculty Research Publications

New ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar thermochronology results and thermal modeling support the hypothesis of Hollister et al. (2004), that reheating of the mid-Cretaceous Ecstall pluton by intrusion of the Coast Mountains Batholith (CMB) was responsible for spatially variable remagnetization of the Ecstall pluton. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages from hornblende and biotite from 12 locations along the Skeena River across the northern part of the Ecstall pluton decrease with proximity to the Quottoon plutonic complex, the nearest member of the CMB to the Ecstall pluton. The oldest ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages are found farthest from the Quottoon plutonic …

Hydromechanical Interference Slug Tests In A Fractured Biotite Gneiss, Trever Slack

All Theses

Fractures are ubiquitous in the shallow crust and they commonly control the flow and storage of fluids in rock. Estimating transmission and storage properties resulting from fractures is commonly accomplished by interpreting the pressure signals caused by stressing an aquifer during a pumping or slug test. Fractures deform in response to pressure changes during well tests, and measuring and interpreting the deformation along with the pressure change is a way to potentially increase the information about storage and transmission properties. Tests where the pressure and deformation are coupled are called hydromechanical well tests. Previous investigations have focused on the effects …

Predicting Long-Term Well Performance From Short-Term Well Tests In The Piedmont, David Hisz

All Theses

A reliable estimate of the physically sustainable discharge of a well is a fundamental aspect affecting management of water resources, but there are surprisingly few analyses describing on how to make such an estimate. Current available methods include either an empirical or a quantitative approach. The empirical method is based on holding the head or flow rate constant in order to maintain a target drawdown for as long as possible. The second method involves conducting a constant rate test to calculate the properties of the aquifer, T and S, and extrapolate the drawdown using a type curve (i.e. Theis analysis). …

Temporal And Spatial Variations Of Ions, Isotopes And Agricultural Contaminants In Surface Waters And Groundwater Of Nebraska's Rainwater Basin Wetland Region, Sarah E. Foster

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The wetlands of south-central Nebraska’s Rainwater Basin region are considered of international importance as a habitat for millions of migratory birds, but are being endangered by agricultural practices. The Rainwater Basin extends across 17 counties and covers 4,000 square miles. The purpose of this study was to assemble baseline chemical data for several representative wetlands across the Rainwater Basin region, and determine the use of these chemical data for investigating groundwater recharge.

Eight representative wetlands were chosen across the Rainwater Basin to monitor surface and groundwater chemistry. At each site, a shallow well and deep well were installed and sampled …

An Intercomparison Of Regional Atmospheric Circulation And The Melt Season Loss Of Arctic Snow Cover And Sea Ice Extent Across The Land–Ocean Boundary, Angela C. Bliss

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study is designed to compare the monthly continental snow cover and sea ice extent loss in the Arctic with regional atmospheric conditions including: mean sea level pressure, 925 hPa air temperature, and mean wind direction among others during the melt season (March-August) over the 29-year study period 1979-2007. Little research has gone into studying the concurrent variations in the annual loss of continental snow cover and sea ice extent across the land-ocean boundary, since these data are largely stored in incompatible formats. However, the analysis of these data, averaged spatially over three autonomous study regions located in Siberia, North …

Slip Distribution Of The 1952 Kamchatka Great Earthquake Based On Near-Field Tsunami Deposits And Historical Records, Breanyn Macinnes, Robert Weiss, Joanne Bourgeois, Tatiana K. Pinegina

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

We explore the magnitude and slip distribution of the 1952 Kamchatka earthquake (M_W 8.8–9.0) using constraints from the 1952 Kamchatka tsunami. Our new field data provide more comprehensive coverage of the near-field tsunami than had been available to date. We examine the effects of internal slip distribution within complex earthquake ruptures on near-field tsunami runup and evaluate some of the limitations of this approach. Our approach compares tsunami-deposit distribution with simulated runup from tsunamis generated by different configurations of seafloor deformation from hypothetical earthquakes resembling that of the 1952 Kamchatka earthquake. We identify areas of high slip because different …

Factors Influencing Soil Moisture At The Hillslope Scale In A Semi-Arid Mountainous Environment, Ivan John Geroy

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Soil moisture couples ground, surface, and atmospheric water interactions via the processes of evapotranspiration, infiltration, and runoff generation (Grayson et al., 1997). Consequently, understanding the factors that influence the spatial distribution of soil moisture is vitally important to the accurate conceptualization and modeling of watershed processes. Typically, topographic indexing methods for the prediction of soil moisture have been studied in temperate or humid areas where the soil profile is often saturated and redistribution of soil moisture is driven by topography (Famiglietti et al., 1998; Grayson et al., 1997; Western et al., 1999). By contrast, in semi-arid environments, long periods of …